Tech Tip - Using an iPad for Productive Work
I admit I am an early adopter and a bit of a tech geek. I enjoy trying new things in technology and am fortunate enough to be able to get in early on some of the new gadgets. I have owned an iPad since it was released. Even when I first watched Apple’s announcement of the product, I thought it was going to be a giant iPhone. How wrong many of us were. The iPad has become part of who I am and perhaps the most important productivity tool I have ever used.From the moment I received that first device, I have worked to integrate it into my work life. I certainly use it a lot for personal activities as well - watching TV, reading, managing email, or buying stuff online. However, from the beginning, I have tried as many things as possible to be able to utilize it for my work activities.Over that period, I have held roles within a corporate environment as well as field retail leadership positions - I have used the iPad equally in both roles. I find it extremely useful for almost all aspects of any retail leadership role. I will share some of the most common uses I have found for it and how I am currently using my latest iPad.I have always been a user of the original size iPad, which was 9.7 inches, that was until a new 10.5 inch iPad came out in 2017. This year I changed again, and I will explain that transition at the end. First, let’s discuss what I use the iPad for in the everyday life of a retail leader.
It goes without saying that email dominates everyone’s life. It is still the way that most organizations communicate with their team in every environment. Using the iPad for email allows you to read, review, and respond to almost anything anywhere you are. I certainly use my phone extensively for this as well, but that tends to be more for consuming the email information and providing quick responses. The iPad allows for much easier, lengthy responses. When you combine the iPad with an external keyboard, it absolutely represents a laptop replacement for this activity. In many cases, I will choose to use the iPad over a laptop computer when managing email. Being able to use the keyboard for typing and the touchscreen for easy movement of any email makes this a much more enjoyable experience. With an attached keyboard, many keyboard shortcuts work to make this activity even easier.
Store Visits
I would wager a bet that if anyone were to ask about how Chris visits a store, using his iPad would be a part of the description. I have looked for many different ways to integrate the iPad into all of my store visits. I essentially use it as a legal pad replacement. I take almost all of my notes on the iPad. I have used different apps over the years as well as a combination of trying to handwrite notes and type notes during the visits.When Apple released the Apple Pencil, it changed that balance. I went to almost exclusively handwriting notes directly on the iPad. Again, I have used different apps, which I will cover in future Tech Tips, but in each case it allowed me to capture the information I needed quickly and then have a host of options after the fact to follow up on that information.I believe these devices can become the best tool for any multi-unit leader for better, more effective store visits. I continue to look for ways to integrate these types of devices into the field leadership roles and believe that they can and should replace the standard issue laptops that everyone gets. There are still some minor hiccups that need to be worked through before I think that all field leaders would openly accept these devices as a replacement for the computer.
Notes
Beyond capturing information from store visits, I like to make notes about what I need to work on, ideas for the team to follow up on, or just added information that could be helpful in the future. I have used applications like Evernote, Notability, DevonThink, and currently Bear. I can use these apps to record general information, a place to set up checklists, or jot down short meeting topics.Related to notes, I use PDF Expert for reviewing documents that are sent to me for review. Again, using an Apple Pencil, I can make my notes and comments directly on the document, save that information, and then send it back to the other person. I use this process on a weekly basis. It means I can do my work anywhere and that may be the most significant advantage that the iPad offers for any of these options. Laptops provide a high level of that same portability, but not quite in the same way. It is just not as easy to sit on the couch, read, and make notes on a laptop as it is the iPad. Not that I advocate doing any work in bed, but I have on occasion, especially in hotels, sat in bed and completed email responses, note-taking, or providing feedback on documents - all easier on the smaller iPad device.
The Most Recent Change
Admittedly, when the original 12.9 inch iPad came out a few years ago, I thought it was unwieldy and too big for an iPad. Yet, I was always intrigued by the extra screen real estate. When the latest iPad was released in October making the overall dimensions of the 12.9 inch iPad much smaller than the previous version, I took the plunge. I have had the new, bigger iPad for about a month now and I love it! For work, it has almost completely replaced my laptop. I never bring the laptop home from the office or when I travel. I can do everything I need on the iPad. There are still occasions when in the office that using a computer makes more sense - PowerPoint presentations and large Excel sheets still work better on a computer, mostly for the mouse work and screen size. It is less about the computing power - I would bet that in pure processing power the iPad is better than the laptop I have. As I continue to work with different applications in conjunction with each other, I find even more ways to love how the iPad makes workflows easier and better than a computer by itself. File management remains the biggest obstacle. That is less about device hardware and more about company security policies keeping up with today’s technology and mobility trends. It will, in time, catch up and allow a more seamless sharing of information across device platforms.I decided to share this update on how I work and the devices I have used because I do get asked frequently how I use my iPad for work and can it really replace a computer. I have also previously provided insights into some of the applications I use; it seemed logical to take a step back and talk about the device that I use those apps on. I believe that technology is not just a fun thing to tinker with, it is a way to make our lives better. Anything we can do with less friction or time is a good thing. Used properly it frees us up to spend more time developing our team and balancing our work and personal lives so we can do more of what we want to do.Do you use an iPad in your role? Share how you are using technology to help you lead more effectively in the comments section.Join other retail leaders in continuing their development journey with Effective Retail Leader.com. SUBSCRIBE today to receive leadership tips directly to your inbox and monthly newsletters that provide many tools to help further develop your leadership skills. JOIN NOW!No spam ever - just leadership goodness.Photo by Dose Media on Unsplash